The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1887-12-08
vfid DO Not Behave.
VISIBLE that an American

IL ,p,sssible that an American
won the dowry of quick in-
telligene1------- INITIATIVE faculty which
she Possesses. whi,sh makes her, if she
chooses. so clever an artist, so skillful
a musician, 50 honoi able in her desire
for the higher educ ,ation, so well
dressed, and SO biea aeosee as she al
most immediately becomes after con-
tact with the world. should remain Sc
oblivious of the evident. proprielies
which she shocks ut home and abroad
by her eenduct in public places; yet
here is where she fails.
She ,alks and laughs at the opera
when an artist is singing. She behaves
worse at u matinee than any Other
woman in the world. She crowds,
shoyes, shows temper and y lack OF
rood feeling. An American does not
in her opera box always behave quietly
and like lady. She gets up, turns
ner back on the audience, adjusts heI
| dress, laughs. and talks audibly TO her
cavalier She has no sense of the
.t;auet OF public places. If she were
| :, man She would be hissed, and once
| or twice in the history of mankind she
| has hcen Missed. and should be more
| Frequently his<ed, until she learns to
respect the feelings of Others. The
| absence. of reverence. that atmosphere
! in which many women are bronghtup.
! makes her commit these vulgar sins in
lpublic. Sic is impatient of advice
and angry at the implied doubt of her
own know ledge. To woman who Is
/ frivolous and made up of public vanity
it may be very agreeable to see men
stare at her from the pit as she makes
herself conspicuous at the opera. 1t
may repay her to see herself in the
columns of the ne% spaper as fast.
loud Young married belle. But when
she goes to European Opera-house
she receives an intimation from the
uolice that she must behave better OF
be put out.
F Foreigners say that deeorum III
public is not popularity of American
women. The American owes hi;
patriotic duty to his flag. He should ain
at correcting all exhibitions of man
ners, such as loud talking in private
.. box, no matter by whom done. The
more prominent the social position o.
| the woman the greater the otfense
She has had an opportunity to know
better. Bad manners may be the out
/ cropping of ignorance and of vulgarity
/ or they may be the assumption o
, aouUeau richie, who pretend in that wa.
/ to show their power. They must re
: member that it was by such presump
ton that certain French ladies wer
brought to the gullotine in 1907 an.
: later on, and that there is guiliotin
! called public opinion which may he
head them some day. Americans ca
| do everything well; why can not the.
learn to behave decently in publ
: placese Why should not an American
woman be low-yoiced, thoroughbred
quiet, polite, and well-dressed. as wei
. as beautiful.
|. English critics say that tn
American young man of fashion is to
. dead-and-alive, and the young woma
!. too noisy. An American girl does to
much as she pleases. She becomes th
most pampered of wives OF the mos
: independent of spinsters. She can b
!, author, artist teacher, doctor, o
{ lawyer, as she thinks tit. and can every
: where be respected. But when she b,
n haYes outrageously in public places
!, making everyone around her uncon
Portable, she must expect TO be hissei
h | and if in Europe, she must know tbs
e her position will not be respected
e American society is very patient;
e tolerates eccentrieity in woman, but
t is getting impatient of lond talking {
r the. opera. high hats, and late comer
horsev girls, and women who dre'
- like men. who at watering-place al
by the sea show no knowledge of II
y etiquette of public places. Udrpef
!, | Rtlzur